The
Italian Navy (Marina Militare) announced it started a technical evaluation
campaign of the CAMCOPTER S-100 VTOL UAV produced by the company Scheibel
onboard the San Giusto (L89894), a San Giorgio class LPD.

The
CAMCOPTER which was leased to the Italian Navy by the Austrian company
was designed to meet the needs of Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance
(ISR) of vessels at sea for both military and civilian missions.

A complete CAMCOPTER system consists of two aircraft, a piloting unit,
a control station and various antennas. The sensors aboard the aircraft
are a turret-mounted electro-optical and infrared (EO/IR) sensor which,
in real time, extends the ship’s ability to see beyond the range
limitations of its own sensors, both at sea and on the ground, and allowing
them to perform their assigned duties.

The San Giusto LPD is the first Italian Navy vessel to employ the CAMCOPTER
S-100 leased to the Armed Forces. It has embarked on a week-long evaluation
cruise with technical staff seconded by Schiebel and two pilots from
the Navy’s 4th Helicopter Group.

Trials at sea have so far evaluated the drone’s interoperability
with the ship, its ability to take off and land from the ship’s
deck; and the ability of the S-100’s sensors. The tests also measured
the noise and the radar and optical visibility to determine detection
parameters of detection.

The use of the VTOL UAV is an important historical moment for Italian
naval aviation, which will more effectively meet the operational needs
of its ships, broadening their effective horizons as well as offering
greater safety, especially when needing to approach potential threats
such as the pirate vessels operating on the seas along the trade routes.